mitchell



1. R. MITCHELL.

BUFFER PLATE Eon PASSENGER GARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 22| |918. I

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

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NITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. MITCHELL, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, OCE' CHAZY, NEW-YORK.

BUFFEEPLATE non rAssENeEn-cnns.

narines.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Application filed. November 22,1918. Serial No. 263,670.

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, JOHN It. MITGHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bul`er-Plates for Passenger-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in buii'er plates for passenger cars.

In theoperation of passenger cars having the customary vestibule diaphragm, diaphragm face plate and buffer plate, great diiculty has been encountered in providing1 a satisfactory buier plate. As is well known, the louder plate and diaphragm face plate of a railway passenger car are subjected to constant use and this action involves .various unusual strains, particularly bending and torsion, due to the various relativepositions assumed by the adjacent ends of two cars. It JfrequentlyT occurs that the buffer plate is distorted andso permanently bent out of shape that the foot plate buckles and constitutes a source of danger to passengers due to the fact that the latter may easily get their feet caught beneath the buckled foot plate. In addition, the face plate being bent from a true plane, leaves a space beneath itand the buffer plate of the next adjacent ear with consequent danger of passengers getting `their feet caught in the open space or gap thus caused.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient form of buii'er plate for passenger car equipment which will be Afree` from all, ofthe objections above noted and which will readily accommodate itself to all the various strains imposed upon 1t 1n service without injury or detriment to the vestibule equipment. ,j

In the drawing forming a part of this speciiication, Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a passenger car showing my improvements in connection therewith. This view illustrates the buffer plate, foot plate and lower portions of the diaphragm face vlate of the diaphragm trams. Fig. 2 is a crie and 13 for the side and buffer stems 14 and 15, respectively, of the usual passenger car buii'er mechanism.

My improved buffer plate construction, as shown, consists broadly of two end castings 16-16, an outer spring plate 17, a series of inner spring plates 18-18 and afoot plate 19. Said end castings 16 are boltedor otherwise suitably secured to the lower ends of the side arms 20--20 of the usual inverted U- shaped diaphragm frame or face plate. p

As shown, each endcasting 16 is recessed as indicated at 21 to accommodate the corresponding lower end of the diaphragm face plate so as to render the latter flush with the casting, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In addition, each end casting 16 is formed `with upper and lower flanges 22 and 23 connected by a vertical web 24, the latter having a hook-shaped portion as indicated at 425, slotted as indicated at 26, to admit the `end of the corresponding side stem 14. Each casting 16 is furthermore provided with a vertical iange 27 forming with the flange 24, a substantially square pocket 28 opened to the front of the casting. j, A l

The outer spring plate 17 extends from end casting to end casting and said spring plate is provided at each end thereof` with an integrally formedhook, as indicated at 29, this hook being adaptedto be positioned within the pocket 28, as` shown in Fig. 2. In `order that the outer face of the plate 17 may lie flush with the outer faces of the casting 16 and diaphragm face plate, the flanges 27 of the end castings are terminated within the outer plane of the castingsq a distance `corresponding substantially to the thiclmeas oi? the plats 17. ether spring fcould the former plates 18 are loosely received at their ends in the castings 16 in pockets 30 which are also formed by the flanges @1,27 22 and 28. Sufficient plates 18 are introduced to substantially take u the entire space between the outer plate l andthe outer ends of the side stems 1 4 so that the latter are held in attached relation with the buffer'plate when all the parts are assembled. i

The foot plate 19 is strengthened at the centralportion thereof` by means. of a plate 31 to which the foot `plate Ais preferably riveted. At its ends, the -`foot plate 19 is perforated to receive the verticalpins 32- 32 which pass through the foot plate, through perforations in the upper flanges 22 of the end castings, within the hooks 29 of the plate 17 and'thenthroinggh perforations in the lower flanges 23 of the end plates. Said pins arelield in position by any suitable means suoli as the washers 33 andcotters.

The parts are assembled as follows: After the endfcastings .16 have been secured to the diaphragm faceplate, the sidestems 14 are hooked in Vposition and then the plates 18 and 17 appliedin the order named. .Thereupon, the foot plate isv put in position and the pins y32`inally inserted so as to maintain alljthe elements in assembled relation.

In operation, itisevident that my improved buffer plate construction presents a flat face inthe usual manner adapted for coperation ofthebulfer platefoftlle next adjacent car. vlAs ,they buffer plate is subjected to bending and ,torsional strains, particularly when excessive ypressure is E applied near n one end, my improved buffer plate will readily accommodate itself inasmuch as it can flex aboutlthe centerstem 15, as shown in dotted vlines at 35 in Fig. 2. Upon removal of the eccentric pressure, it is evident that my flexible buffer plate structure .will restore itself to normal rpositiondueto the inherent resiliency of the plates 17 andf18. Furthermore, flexing of `the'buffer plate yproper as above described, will not cause buckling of the foot plate since the latter is, in effect, pivotally connected tothe buffer platebyfmeans of the Ipins 'Withlthearrangement shown and described, it is evident that I overcome all of the defects heretofore encountered inthe usual buffer plates of rigid construction. It 'is evident that my construction can lbe applied to ypassenger car equipment now in :service .without modification Ythereof so far as thebufferinechanism proper is concerned and, of course, the improved construction may be applied to new cars as cheaply as rigid type of bufferplates. Although I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner Qfarrying out anygiiveliton, the

'is merely illustrative and I @einem 4attached,-.and aseries of spring -inent, said bufferplate having an inherently :resilient central portion adapting the bufl'cr plate to flex without permanent set, about 'the usual central 'buffer stem.

2. A buffer plate structure for passenger `careeluipment comprising, two end castings connected by a plurality of spring plates.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with the end platform structure of a `passenger car, central and sidebulfer stems, of a diaphragm face plate, castings at-the bottoms of the arms of said face plate and to which the side stems are plaies extending between said castings and against the rear face of which said central buffer stem is adaptedto bear.

il, As anarticle of manufacture, a buffer plate structure for passenger car equipment, s aid kbuffer plate structure coniprising,two end elements inherently rigid and adapted for cooperation with the usual side stems, and an inherently flexible plate bridging the space between said end elements and connected thereto, said flexible plate being adapted to bend around the centerstem.

5.7As an article of manufacture, buffer plate structure for railway passenger cai equipment, said buffer plate structure including, two end castings adapted for pivotal connection withtlie usual side stems, and a plurality of spring plates supported at their ends by said end castings and extending therebetween.

6. As an article of manufacture, a buffer plate structure for passenger car equipment, saidbuffer plate structure including, two end castings adapted to be rigidly secured tothe lower ends of the arms of the' diaphragm face plate and having also integral means for pivotally connecting the same with the usual side buffer stems, aplurality of spring plates supported at their ends by said castings, and a foot plate pivotally connected atlits ends to said end castings.

il. In cai' construction, 'the combination withthe end platform structure of a passenger car, center and side buffer stems, of a diaphragm frame, buffer plate end castings secured to tlielowerends of the arms of said diaphragm frame, each of said end castings being provided with integral hook-lilie flanges for detachably pivotally connectingthe same with one of said side stems, each casting having a'lso pockets to accommodate the ends ofaplate springs,.a,pluralityof plate springs extending between said end castings and supported at their ,ends by said castings,

a foot plate, and ineans for pivotally eonloWer ends of said side arms, said buffer necting the ends oi said foot plate With said plate being inherently flexible. end castings. In Witness that I claim the foregoing I 10 8. In a construction of the character dehave hereunto subscribed my name this 5th 5 scribed7 the combination with a diaphragm day of Nov., 1918.

face plate having depending side arms, of a buffer plate bridging the space between the JOI-IN R. MITCHELL.

@epico of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents.

. Washington, D. C. 

